Do you know how you’re spending your time? Do you feel like you have a good organization system but still can’t get everything done? Well, that is what I had going on. I just couldn’t understand why I wasn’t getting things done when I *thought* I was better managing my time. So, when I had the chance to review the Chronicles app I don’t know who was more excited – my husband or myself! He was always telling me that my perception of time and how much time I was ACTUALLY spending on a task were two totally different things. So, I knew this would be a great app for me!
The Chronicles app can be used on both the iPhone and iPad (if you zoom to 2x). I usually used it on my iPhone, though, since I always have it with me whereas my iPad is with me a lot of the time but not all of the time. The biggest issue where I was having time concerns was my computer time. Obviously as a blogger I do spend a fair amount of time on the computer. The problem doesn’t lie in my work per se, but the fact that I don’t focus on just my work and tend to do many other things while I’m working on things for my blog. It is really easy for me to get caught up on Facebook when I plan on getting on there to network to start chatting with people, visiting other groups, pages, etc. Before I know it, I’ve been on Facebook for an hour when I meant to be on there for 15 minutes just to post a couple of things on my page or in my blogging groups! I also get in the habit of going on “rabbit trails” when I’m posting something and am reminded of something else, so I go look that up real quick. Again, I end up spending time on the web I didn’t intend to spend! Without a visual reminder like the Chronicles app, though, I realized it was happening, but I didn’t know how extreme the problem was. There is something different about looking at the clock and realizing “oh, it’s only 7:30” vs. “oh, wow! I’ve been online for 2 hours!” They are totally different mind sets. The first one is “it’s still an hour before the kids’ bed time,” and the second one is “I’ve been on the computer an hour longer than I planned.”
So here is how I’ve been using the Chronicles app to better plan my time. First I started by using the app to track how long I was online. I created a profile for myself, “Em,” with my picture (fun, right?) and the activity, “online” and added it to my Favourites so I would have immediate access to it each time. Once I started on the computer I would start the timer. Each day I started cutting out more unnecessary activities to reduce the time I was on the computer. Once I got it down to a comfortable time I started using the timer to count down. So I would set the timer for an hour, and when it was up I had to finish what I was doing (no cheating!) and I was done. I give myself a few times a day to be online but only for specific periods of time each day, and the Chronicles app is what helped me create a “work schedule” for myself. My blog IS my business, and a work schedule is exactly what I needed! I can then go in to the Chronicles and view all the activities that have been recorded!
I have tried using various stopwatch and timer apps in the past, but nothing has been as feature rich as Chronicles! It’s nice to be able to create a profile to each family member and assign specific activities. I was able to use it for so much more than just creating a work schedule for myself! I was able to keep track of “screen time” for the kids – computer and iPad time as well as study time, chores, physical activity, etc. The possibilities are endless! The chronicles feature allows you to store all of this information if you choose so you can refer back to it when needed!
For More Information:
Visit the Chronicles Website
Connect with eMCeSqrd on Facebook
Follow eMCeSqrd on Twitter
Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own and may be different than yours.
that sounds like it is exactly what I need! I ALWAYS lose track of time… am downloading to the iphone right now! Thanks for posting this!
This sounds great. I sure could use this. Always lose track of time when I am on the computer. Thanks for the review.
It’s so easy to lose track, isn’t it? I was pretty surprised how bad my perception of time was!